Staff Pick Award at Palm Springs ShortFest 2022: "Meantime" by Michael T Workman |

I'm sick of waiting.

Aren't you,

 For the world to become good

Also beautiful and nice?

 Let's take an axe

and cut the globe in two

Check out what worms consume

At the edge.

"Langston Hughes Good Morning, Revolution: Uncollected Social Protest Writings

The winner of the Staff Pick Award at Palm Springs Shortfest 2022 will be "Meantime" by Michael T Workman. Michael put his camera up in the house of his father Tim to record an "deeply personal look at memories as well as guilt, labor, and the desire to keep the momentary." It's certainly the way its logline is composed. What is so beautiful about the documentary is that it's not focused on these vague descriptions of emotions in humans. "Meantime" is upon the root causes of the problems that plague in the United States: capitalism, low-quality labor practices, inadequate treatment for those suffering from mental illness, and the realization that the American slogan is "pull yourself from the pit of your feet" is an impossible physical task. The documentary exposes the many ways in which it is that the United States fails to fully provide for its citizens all their lives right from birth through dying. The words of Michael articulately states"In the Q&A "

   "It may not be evident yet, but I'm certain that the main subject of the movie is the cruelty of capitalism. ...My father comes from the milieu of a mindset that regards the human being in the form of "human resources" as a way of dehumanizing individuals who are not able to conform to an uncompromising model of work and exploitation. "

Its production is as dark as the harsh Montana winter that it takes place in, "Meantime" is a movie about wounded souls that yet grew into caring and caring people.

We were able to ask Michael some questions regarding his personal family photo and were impressed by his kind and caring response. Learn more about the conversation that we had Michael.

Inspiring:

   "The idea for the film was a result of my experience after helping my father to digitize his own home videos. When I was looking them over I witnessed these powerfully emotional moments in the small and seemingly insignificant moments that my dad had recorded. Most memorable were not holidays, birthday parties, or weddings that were most affecting. These were times that my relatives had to wait for something significant to occur and then having a conversation with each other, or laughing. Through those times, I observed those I had known in various stages of their lives, and my knowledge of their experience began to deepen. I'd always been averse to the concept of making my own film, however watching the footage and returning to Montana was the inspiration for me to make this film . "

His tips on filming family:

   "Working with relatives is difficult. Deciding when to stop the camera and just sit there was the greatest challenge. When the session, my father and I had a discussion over recording. I think I'm good with being able to hide behind my camera now. My tip for filmmakers working within a household environment is to arrange the exact time and location you're planning to shoot at and utilize that to set a limit. Don't shoot everything all of the time, and don't chase what's happening. Think about the things you'd like to capture and let your camera do the rest. When you're done, you are done. There's always going to be something you didn't catch, which is fine. But the most important thing is to ensure that the images you capture is likely to be more powerful and compelling. Then turn off the camera and get back to enjoying your day-to-day life . "

The reaction of his family to the film

   "My family members have seen the movie. I watched it for my mom after I was done and it was by far one of the most emotionally charged viewing experiences I've been through. Because the film is personal I had moments where I was completely disinterested by the film, as well as moments that were filled with intense emotion. While watching the movie with my mother small details of the movie caused me to be crying in uncontrollable tears. It's an example of how the atmosphere of individuals you're watching the film together can drastically alter your enjoyment of that movie. It was a uplifting experience for us both and she developed a greater appreciation of the father's perspective that she was unable to see at the time.

   The most worried I was about showing this to my father. We were planning to sit down and go through the film, but it wasn't the right timing, so he decided to watch the movie independently. When he phoned me to inform me that he was watching it at home, my heart broke. He said something to me that was similar to "Mike I saw your filmand it was excellent and I'll never wish to return to it." The most significant source of his anxiety was not in the vulnerability the film showed, but rather it was watching himself on screen as well as hearing his own voice. His voice made him feel uneasy (for myself as well). ). "

On challenges faced:

   "The hardest part of making this film was creating distance between me and the film. It's the most difficult part of personal projects and is one of the areas where most films fail. The personal nature of films may cause emotional turmoil for the filmmaker however not to the viewers. I tried to steer free of it whenever possible and attempt to distance myself from the film , and think of it as something I don't know myself. As I was editing, it was an ongoing issue. I overcame this through having a lot of trusted people around me, who offered my honest and constructive critique . "

What would he like us to contemplate while watching the movie

   "It may not be apparent to you, but I feel that the focus of this film is the inhumanity of capitalism. In the end, the main cause of my father's struggle to live the kind of life he would like to live in harmony and security. Though abuse is a possible cause of my father's struggles and struggles, his inability to recover from that trauma can be a result of social pressure rather than a personal failing. My father is part of a culture that sees people to be "human resources" which is a system that stigmatizes people who cannot be integrated into a arbitrary system of labor exploitation.

   Capitalism provides working class citizens with two choices: work or begging on the streets. While this is never specifically stated in the film it is the underworld of the narrative. If those in my dad's position had access to robust physical as well as mental health, housing as well as food, and didn't have to prove their worthiness by suffering in terrible conditions and in a deplorable living space, they'd have the opportunity to be happy and secure in an setting where they could concentrate on healing the trauma they endured.

   The most important point on the title cards that open the documentary is my father's stroke was caused due to an anxiety attack at work , as the firm tried to make the most profit by understaffing the hospital where he was working. It was clear that this was not a unique situation for him when I was making the film when I discovered that workplace stress, not the stress of caring for an unborn child caused my father's mental health crisis in the early years of my existence.

   I also hope that the film will encourage people to treasure the time they get with their beloved family members and to discuss the impact of struggles and pain in a caring and open setting. At the end of the day, the essence of the film is caring for your parents by understanding them as complex human beings and cherishing every moment that you get to spend with them . "

Michael's tips for aspiring filmmakers:

   "I often tell my students to be a fighter in order to retain their youthful enthusiasm to make films. Through every step, it is a struggle for these industries to force you endure the grind of working and transform you into an instrument for another. They'll attempt to eliminate all enjoyment out of the process and create artificially high stakes to make the most asinine content. Anyone who has worked for a major advertising company has seen this. I would advise you to be working on things that make you feel happy even though your work-related wage isn't. Keep working on films that you produce yourself or in other pursuits that make you feel as if you're an artist. If you're part of Sundance and you've lost the joy of filmmaking What's the purpose of doing this? ? "

What's next?

   "I'm developing a feature documentary concept that is an observational woven narrative film driven by characters set in a town that is mining in Montana. The idea is still in the initial phases of creation, therefore I'm not able to offer much more information at this time.

   I'm involved in a project that examines people who have jobs they're aware of as entirely ineffective. If you're in search of a job similar to that then you can contact me by email. The company is currently hiring . "

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